Exerciser with the legs being supported thereon by hanging in performing exercise

ABSTRACT

An exerciser in one embodiment includes a base, a telescopic shank mechanism, a pivotal calf support disposed sufficiently above the ground by mounting on a top of the shank mechanism, and a foot support including a telescopic frame obliquely upwardly extending from one end of the calf support, and two cylindrical foot supporting members fixedly secured to both sides of the frame. The tops of the feet of an inverted person are urged against the foot supporting members, the backs of the calves and the knees are urged against the calf support, and the remaining portions of the body are disposed between the calf support and the reference ground in performing one form of exercise.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to exercising machines and more particularly to anexerciser with the bent legs of a person supported on an upper portionof the exerciser by hanging in performing exercise.

2. Description of Related Art

It is recognized that people spend more time in standing or sitting thanlying during 24 hours of a day. Thus, certain portions of the body maybear more weight than other portions according to medical knowledge.Further, incorrect sitting positions may cause discomfort and evendiseases after a long period of time. Thus, many physicians recommendpersons excluding pregnant women or young children to stand upside downfor some time a day as a form of exercise.

Exercisers are well known in the art in which there are two types ofexercisers related to upside down exercises as detailed below. The firstone is a clamp like exerciser having a pair of hooks. The hooks aresuspended from two bars sufficiently high above the ground and areadapted to fasten the feet of an inverted person. However, the load ofthe exercise concentrates on the feet and adjacent muscles. Thus, thefeet are susceptible to being hurt.

The second one is an inversion type exerciser widely employed inexercise clubs. The exerciser comprises a lever like bench. A person maylie on the bench with the feet being fastened. Next, the bench clockwiseturns about 90 degrees to cause the head upside down. The second one ismore advantageous than the first one. However, it limits the extent ofexercise.

The invention seeks to provide a novel type of exerciser with the bentlegs of a person supported on an upper portion of the exerciser byhanging in performing exercise so that body weight does not concentrateon a small body portion during exercising and a sufficient degree ofexercise can be executed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an exercisercomprising a calf support disposed a predetermined distance above areference ground; and a foot support including a frame obliquelyupwardly extending from one end of the calf support, and two cylindricalfoot supporting members fixedly secured to both sides of the frame,wherein the tops of the feet of an inverted person are urged against thefoot supporting members, the backs of the calves and the knees are urgedagainst the calf support, and the remaining portions of the body aredisposed between the calf support and the reference ground in performingexercise.

In one aspect of the invention there are further provided a base restedon the reference ground, and a shank mechanism having an upper endadjustably secured to the calf support and a lower end secured onto thebase.

Preferably, an angle of the calves with respect to the thighs is about90 degrees in performing exercise.

Preferably, the foot support is telescopic for fitting differentindividuals with various leg lengths.

In another aspect of the invention there are further provided twoparallel substantially garble shaped tubes extending upward from rearportions of the base respectively. The hands can hold the garble shapedtubes in performing exercise.

Preferably, the shank mechanism is telescopic for fitting differentindividuals with various heights.

In a further aspect of the invention there is further provided aU-shaped handle bar having padded hand grips on both end portions, thehandle bar having a midpoint fixedly secured to the shank mechanism. Theprovision of the handle bar aims at facilitating a person to use theexerciser or leave same after use as well as hold same in executing abody twisting exercise.

Preferably, the telescopic shank mechanism is hydraulic.

Preferably, the telescopic shank mechanism is pneumatic.

Preferably, the telescopic shank mechanism is electrical.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description taken withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of exerciseraccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an environmental view of the exerciser being used by aninverted person with his feet held on an upper portion of the exerciserin performing exercise;

FIG. 3 is a side view in part section of the exerciser;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the calf support, the foot support, and aportion of the shank mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 where the person is performing anexercise different from the one shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is an environmental view of the exerciser being used by a personwith his feet bent and held on an upper portion of the exerciser inperforming an exercise similar to sit-up.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 an exerciser in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the invention is shown. The exerciser comprises a base 10,a shank mechanism 20, a calf support 30, and a foot support 40. Eachcomponent is discussed in detailed below.

The base 10 is supported on a flat surface, such as a floor. The base 10comprises two long bars 11 and 12, a short bar 13 at both endsinterconnecting the long bars 11 and 12 proximate the front end togetherto define a U-shaped space 14, and two substantially garble shaped tubes15 and 16 extending upward from rear portions of the long bars 11 and 12respectively.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2, the shankmechanism 20 is obliquely upwardly extended from the short bar 13. Theshank mechanism 20 comprises an outer support tube 22 having a lower endfixed secured to a yoke (not numbered) on the short bar 13, an innersliding tube 21 having a lower portion slidably received in the supporttube 22, the sliding tube 21 having a plurality of spaced holes 21 aformed lengthwise along a lower portion, a set pin 23 mounted on thesupport tube 22 and adapted to insert into one of the holes 21 a forsecuring the tubes 21 and 22 together (i.e., height of the telescopicshank mechanism 20 is adjustable), a holed bracket 25 secured to thesliding tube 21 and being disposed above the set pin 23, an upwardlyextending bolt 26 together with nuts 26 a and 26 b adjustably secured tothe hole of the bracket 25, and a U-shaped handle bar 27 having paddedhand grips on both end portions, the handle bar 27 having a midpointfixedly secured to the support tube 22. The provision of the handle bar27 aims at facilitating a person to use the exerciser or leave sameafter use as well as hold same in executing a body twisting exercise.

The calf support 30 is mounted on a top of the shank mechanism 20 and isabove the space 14 by a sufficient height. In detail, the calf support30 comprises an elongate underlying supporting member 31 having a pivot(not numbered) pivotably secured to an upper end of the sliding tube 21by a pin 24, and another member (not numbered) fixedly secured to anupper end of the bolt 26; a plate 33 secured onto the supporting member31, and two elongate padding members 32 mounted on the plate 33. Byconfiguring as above, an angle of the calf support 30 with respect tothe shank mechanism 20 is slightly adjustable.

The foot support 40 comprises a bar shaped frame 41 including a supportbar 411 having a lower end fixedly secured to a front portion of thesupporting member 31 and a plurality of spaced holes (not numbered)formed lengthwise along an upper portion, an outer sliding tube 412slidably put on the upper portion of the support bar 411, and a set pin413 mounted on the sliding tube 412 and adapted to insert into one ofthe holes of the support bar 411 for securing the sliding tube 412 andthe support bar 411 together (i.e., length of the telescopic frame 41 isadjustable); and two spaced cylindrical foot supporting members 42fixedly secured to both sides of the frame 41 and each including a pad(e.g., foam) 421 formed therearound.

A first exercise may be performed by using the exerciser as shown inFIG. 2. The tops of the feet of a person are urged against lowerportions of the foot supporting members 42. The backs of the calves andthe knees are tightly rested on the padding members 32. The person isupside down with the hands on the waist and the elbows bent. Mostimportantly, the center of gravity of the person falls within the space14.

Referring to FIG. 5, a second exercise is performed by using theexerciser. The tops of the feet of an inverted person are urged againstlower portions of the foot supporting members 42. The backs of thecalves and the knees are tightly rested on the padding members 32. Anangle of the calves with respect to the thighs is about 90 degrees. Theperson is suspended with the head proximate the ground. The weight ofthe person falls between the long bars 11 and 12. The hands are adaptedto reach the long bars 11 and 12, the garble shaped tubes 15 and 16, thehandle bar 27, and the ground. Advantageously, the body motion isrelatively not limited as compared with that using the prior artexerciser. Thus, the exercising purpose can be achieved by using theexerciser of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, a third exercise is performed by using theexerciser. The person is executing an exercise similar to thetraditional sit-up with the calves tightly rested on the padding members32 and the tops of the feet urged against front and lower portions ofthe foot supporting members 42.

Alternatively, the shank mechanism 20 may be eliminated by mounting thecalf support 30 directly on the ground.

Still alternatively, both the base 10 and the shank mechanism 20 can beeliminated in other embodiments with the calf support 30 and the footsupport 40 directly mounted on a wall and disposed sufficiently highabove the ground.

Still alternatively, the shank mechanism 20 can be implemented as ahydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical one. Further, the hydraulic,pneumatic, or electrical device for activating the shank mechanism 20 iswell known in the art. Thus, a detailed description thereof is thereforedeemed unnecessary.

While the above embodiment discussing an angle of the calves withrespect to the thighs about 90 degrees is only a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it is contemplated that an angle of the calves withrespect to the thighs is in a range between 40 degrees to 145 degrees.

To summarize, the invention provides an exerciser for exercising thewhole body except the feet. Also, some components of the exerciser aretelescopic so as to adjustably position to fit different individualswith various heights and weights.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means ofspecific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could bemade thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from thescope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

1. An exercise apparatus comprising: a calf support disposed apredetermined distance above a reference ground; and a foot supportincluding a frame obliquely upwardly extending from one end of the calfsupport, and two cylindrical foot supporting members fixedly secured toboth sides of the frame, wherein the tops of the feet of an invertedperson are urged against the foot supporting members, the backs of thecalves and the knees are urged against the calf support, and theremaining portions of the body are disposed between the calf support andthe reference ground in performing exercise.
 2. The exercise apparatusof claim 1, further comprising a shank mechanism having an upper endadjustably secured to the calf support and a lower end rested on thereference ground.
 3. The exercise apparatus of claim 2, wherein theshank mechanism comprises at least one member having an upper endadjustably secured to the calf support and a lower end rested on thereference ground.
 4. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein theshank mechanism is telescopic.
 5. The exercise apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a base rested on the reference ground, and a shankmechanism having an upper end adjustably secured to the calf support anda lower end secured onto the base.
 6. The exercise apparatus of claim 1,wherein the calf support comprises a pivotal member on an underside. 7.The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is telescopic.